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Aktsiaselts Ekspress Grupp
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07.02.2025 14:48:50
Pealkiri
Ekspress Grupp vaidlustab Leedu konkurentsiameti otsuse Lrytase omandamise kohta
Teade
Ekspress Grupp teatab kavatsusest vaidlustada kohtus Leedu konkurentsiameti tänane otsus, millega konkurentsiamet keeldub loa andmisest uudisteportaali Lrytas omandamiseks ning nõuab varasema turuolukorra taastamist. Leedu konkurentsiamet leidis 7. veebruaril 2025. a avaldatud otsuses, et UAB Lrytas omandamine Ekspress Grupi poolt on loonud või tugevdanud turgu valitsevat seisundit või kahjustanud oluliselt konkurentsi Leedu mittespetsialiseerunud uudisteportaalide turul. Ekspress Grupil tuleb varasem olukord taastada kuue kuu jooksul otsuse kättesaamisest arvates. Ekspress Grupi juhatuse esimees Mari-Liis Rüütsalu kinnitas, et ettevõte ei nõustu konkurentsiameti hinnanguga ja vaidlustab otsuse kohtus: ?Me põhimõtteliselt ei nõustu konkurentsiameti järeldusega omandamise turumõju kohta. Leedu digitaalmeedia turg on endiselt väga konkurentsitihe ning seal tegutseb mitu tugevat teenusepakkujat, sealhulgas riiklikult rahastatud meedia ja teised meediakontsernid, ning toimib märkimisväärne konkurents kitsamatele teemadele keskendunud uudisteportaalide ja sotsiaalmeedia osalusel. Näeme, et lugejad kasutavad regulaarselt erinevaid uudisteallikaid ning liiguvad erinevate platvormide vahel. Usume, et omandamine ei saa kuidagi kahjustada turu konkurentsiolukorda. Lrytas moodustab ligikaudu 5% Ekspress Grupi käibest ja 2% grupi EBITDA- st. Kuigi Lrytas on oluline osa meie digiärist, rõhutab tema marginaalne osa kontserni tegevustes meie seisukohta konkurentsiolukorra kohta turul." Ekspress Grupp omandas UAB Lrytas (https://view.news.eu.nasdaq.com/view?id=1196441&lang=et) 2022. a lõpus. Leedu konkurentsiamet alustas uurimist (https://view.news.eu.nasdaq.com/view?id=1241654&lang=et) Lrytase omandamise kohta augustis 2023 ja avaldas oma esimese otsuse (https://view.news.eu.nasdaq.com/view?id=1266518&lang=et) detsembris 2023. Selle otsuse alusel esitas Ekspress Grupp koondumise kontrolli teate (https://view.news.eu.nasdaq.com/view?id=1297086&lang=et) mais 2024. Lisainfo Mari-Liis Rüütsalu Juhatuse esimees +372 512 2591 [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) AS Ekspress Grupp on Baltimaade juhtiv meediakontsern, mille tegevus hõlmab veebimeedia sisutootmist ning ajalehtede, ajakirjade ja raamatute kirjastamist. Samuti haldab kontsern elektroonilist piletimüügiplatvormi ja piletimüügikohtasid ning pakub väliekraanide teenust Eestis ja Lätis. Ekspress Grupp alustas oma tegevust 1989. aastal ja annab tööd ligi 1100 inimesele.
Pealkiri
Ekspress Grupp disputes the Lithuanian Competition Council's decision regarding Lrytas acquisition
Teade
Ekspress Grupp announces its intention to challenge in court the decision issued today by the Lithuanian Competition Council refusing to grant clearance for the acquisition of news portal Lrytas and ordering steps to restore the previous market situation. On February 7, 2025, the Lithuanian Competition Council published a decision concluding that the concentration following AS Ekspress Grupp's acquisition of UAB Lrytas has created or strengthened a dominant position or significantly impeded competition in the relevant market for the provision of news on non- specialised national news portals in Lithuania. The Competition Council has ordered Ekspress Grupp to take steps to restore the previous situation within 6 months from the day the decision was served to the addressee. Mari-Liis Rüütsalu, Chairman of the Management Board of Ekspress Grupp, stated that Ekspress Grupp strongly disagrees with the Competition Council's assessment and will challenge the decision in court: "We fundamentally disagree with the Competition Council's conclusion about the market impact of this acquisition. The Lithuanian digital news market remains highly competitive, with multiple strong players including state-funded media, other media conglomerates, and significant competition from specialized news portals and social media. Consumer behaviour shows that readers regularly access multiple news sources, with technology enabling instant switching between different platforms and providers. We believe there is no basis to conclude that this acquisition could impede effective competition in the market. Lrytas represents approximately 5% of Ekspress Grupp's total turnover and 2% of the Group's EBITDA. While Lrytas is an important part of our digital media portfolio, its relative size in the context of our group operations underscores our position regarding market competition concerns." AS Ekspress Grupp acquired UAB Lrytas (https://view.news.eu.nasdaq.com/view?id=b3244c7dfd30ede01f57b8a40ad49690e&lang= en&src=listed) at the end of the year 2022. The Competition Council of Lithuania started an investigation (https://view.news.eu.nasdaq.com/view?id=b968fa838de410a90a99b199a827724a7&lang= en&src=listed) of Lrytas UAB acquisition in August, 2023 and published its first decision (https://view.news.eu.nasdaq.com/view?id=b1c26d6836a8eaf1436f0e160e36c94f9&lang= en&src=listed) in December, 2023. According to that decision, Ekspress Grupp submitted a merger control notification (https://view.news.eu.nasdaq.com/view?id=b6b95fb58a82d30fbbff79517ed57b47f&lang= en&src=listed) in May, 2024. Mari-Liis Rüütsalu Chairman of the Management Board +372 512 2591 [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) AS Ekspress Grupp is the leading Baltic media group whose key activities include web media content production, and publishing of newspapers, magazines and books. The Group also operates an electronic ticket sales platform and ticket sales offices in Estonia and Latvia. Ekspress Grupp launched its operations in 1989 and employs almost 1100 people.